Ten years ago, werewolves took over the world. Humans are kept in small villages. When they turn of age, human women are thrown into the woods, where wolves can scent them out as their mate.Mya Collins is part of a human rebel group, planning to overthrow the werewolf leaders. She is trained to fight and kill them. But all her training couldn’t prepare her for when she is cast into the woods, and she finds she is the mate of the European Alpha. Will she be able to escape from his claws?
Age Rating: 18+
Note: this story is the author’s original version and does not have sound.
Solstice Howl by Jade H is now available to read on the Galatea app! Read the first two chapters below, or download Galatea for the full experience.
Read the full uncensored books on the Galatea iOS app!
1
Ten years ago, werewolves took over the world. Humans are kept in small villages. When they turn of age, human women are thrown into the woods, where wolves can scent them out as their mate.Mya Collins is part of a human rebel group, planning to overthrow the werewolf leaders. She is trained to fight and kill them. But all her training couldn’t prepare her for when she is cast into the woods, and she finds she is the mate of the European Alpha. Will she be able to escape from his claws?
Age Rating: 18+
Original Author: Jade H
Note: this story is the author's original version and does not have sound.
When asked what I would sacrifice to achieve something I’ve worked for my entire life- the answer is a no brainer: everything.
A noise lurched from my throat as my feet were knocked out from underneath me causing my inevitable collapse onto the mat, my limbs jumbling in unrecognizable directions.
“Weak.” Carter growled, not a hint of exertion on his stoic face, whereas I sport numerous bruises on my stomach and thighs- sweat forming in places I didn’t know I could sweat.
I snapped back up by pushing myself off of the mat with my elbow, unsuccessfully kicking my leg up to swing into his gut, to which he grabbed my foot and pushed me back onto the mat roughly.
My head collided with the floor and bounced, causing a blinding headache to vibrate behind my eyelids and a wince to mare my face.
His mocking laugh angered me to the point that my face blossomed red and steam practically rolled out of my ears.
“You’re not ready, Mya. Maybe you’ll never be ready,” he mocked.
But this couldn’t be it, I haven’t been training my whole life for this moment only to have a rug ripped from beneath my feet! I would gain the upper hand.
A warm feeling of rage traveled up my body in caressing waves and I gritted my teeth, jumping back up despite the coursing pain rippling through me and the evident soreness tightening my muscles.
This time I focused all of my energy on defense, I looked at his hands in my peripheral vision, detecting his next moves almost immediately.
Blocking his oncoming hit to my face and landing a roundhouse kick to his pelvis.
He growled lowly in his throat from the pain but made no attempt to stop. Instead, he worked harder to make sure that I writhe in pain when he’s done with me.
I had no time to block his punch to my nose as I gurgled through the nearly-blinding pain, instantly feeling the blood gushing, and splashing onto my mouth.
As he reached out to punch my stomach in my weak moment of focusing on my injury, I grabbed his wrist and twisted it to where he is at an awkward angle, then pushed him down with my knee to his back, not letting up on my grip on his arm.
He tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to maneuver his arm out of my grasp, attempting to ease his discomfort, but I wouldn’t let him go, tightening my hold.
“Who’s not ready?” I smiled in triumph, waiting a few seconds for him to sigh in defeat then took my knee off of his back, roughly letting go of his arm.
He got up slowly with a grim expression, “I’m still not sure that you’re ready.”
A scoff was lodged in my throat, but I refused to let it out- I didn’t want him to know how ridiculous I thought it was that he was hesitant of me going.
“Carter, I’ve been ready.”
We both knew it, he just didn’t want to admit it.
Instead of pleading with him on a lost cause that’s been debated for far too long, I took a second to look over my injuries.
I tilted my head back to reduce the onslaught of blood and made sure that my nose isn’t broken by prodding at it.
A wince marred my face at the touch, but there wasn’t enough pain to where I’m gasping for breath.
I had broken my nose once before and this pain is minuscule to the one I experienced at the beginning of my training at the prime age of 10.
I had cockily challenged a female 5 years older than me, and was thrown on my ass in the matter of seconds- with a broken nose.
“I just- I know you are even more skillful than some of the others but…” he trailed off in thought as he began pulling on his shirt.
“Some- Carter I’ve worked harder than anyone.”
Carter’s reluctance irked me but at the same time I understood his unsureness about the situation- I’m all he has.
He bit his lip and hummed under his breath, a mannerism he’s had since a mere preteen.
“So… I can go?” I layered my voice in indifference as I tightened my ponytail.
A deep sigh could be heard from where he stood in the room and a quiet shuffle before, “I don’t think you’re ready, but I know you want this.”
The fact that he doubted me stung, but didn’t cease my glee. I refrained from showing it externally, Carter considered any emotion weak.
Tonight will be my first ever supply raid. Here, in our underground rebellion facility, everyone has a job to do, an assigned task. There’s no room for laziness, and certainly no room for complaints.
Since the age of 12, I’ve known what I wanted to do- who I wanted to be.
This used to be a governmental bombing plantation before they took over. The founders, the original ‘Rebels’, set up a community here. Only the elite were invited, important people of the old world.
But now, now there isn’t any time for major hierarchies.
They created a whole world. Thankfully, I wasn’t born into the generation who lived during the Great War, but the Founders had to adapt to this environment and build a whole community from scratch.
They had to learn how to find the right supplies that could make us all survive in the long run.
For 10 decades, we, who the Werewolves call ‘runners’ and ‘rebels’ have recruited humans who mutually wish to destroy the werewolf government and overpower them as they did to us all those years ago.
And now, we’re thriving more than ever. In total, there is roughly 150 of us, but there are other clusters of groups- we are not alone.
The humans are heavily monitored by the werewolves. In case one of them is a… potential soul mate to them.
Soul mates are just as I said, though scientifically impossible, werewolves are genetically monitored to protect and posses their soul mate, the other half of their souls.
The supposed person that supposedly “fills the empty void in their hearts and leaves them whole.”
I shivered as I thought about the poor human souls that have their supposed ‘soul mate’ bite off a chunk of their neck, claim they love them, and expect them to bare their demon spawns.
Most of the time, werewolves mate with their own kind. But, a human mate sometimes pops into the equation here and there.
Considering mates are so precious to wolves, twice a year, they gather on the night of a solstice moon and cast off all of the unmated werewolves and any humans they can find.
Then, the wolves are set off to trace the scent of their mate.
It has been told that the woods and the moon amplifies the smell of their mate, making it easy for them to track their scent- it’s an erotic, animalistic ritual that is completely barbarious.
The wolf females who have a human male mate have it tougher because their noses aren’t as keen as males.
But, male and female wolf mates find each other almost instantly, with both of their senses of smell.
Education is an important factor of being down here.
We obtain information about important events of life outside as well as paramount facts from our raiders, one of the most useful jobs you could have down here.
Raiders are the best fighters, the most skillful and adept, and are the grounds to make sure things run smoothly, they’re the only ones who can go up.
I grabbed my black jacket, zipping it over my sports bra, and wiped my sweaty neck with a towel, then heaved on my tennis shoes, wincing when I leaned over.
“Is your nose okay?” Carter worriedly asked, cupping my chin and assessing my nose, blood already drying around the nostril.
“It’s fine.” I reassured, “It’ll be bruised, but you’ve given me worst.”
“Sorry ’bout that,” He sheepishly grinned, clutching the back of his neck.
“You’ve done it so many times, I’m immune by now.”
His smoldering eyes traveled to my bare legs. Now, normally most would assume that he’s checking them out, but, I know that he’s looking at the huge bruise on my upper thigh.
He reached out to caress it and I rolled my eyes when he made a noise in the back of his throat.
I noticed something was off with Carter, he’s never worried about the injuries he’s given me before this much, “Why are you being so odd?” I asked, eyes narrowed in skepticism.
He sighed deeply, his eyes fluttering close then opening, “Tonight is the raid.”
I smiled sarcastically, “Yeah dummy, I just trained with you for it.”
He sighed again, “Mya, what if I told you that-” He cut himself off and leaned over closer to me, his eyes peering into mine, “I think there’s a spy.”
My interest piqued, “I’d say you’re crazy. We’re all family, Carter. Most of us have grown up together and the others, they were practically adopted into our family.
He nervously licked his chapped lips, “Mya, this last month, you know how a group of us went to see if the werewolves had a vendetta to our neighboring rebel group?”
I rolled my eyes, “how can I forget? You were adamant not to let me go.”
“Mya, you’re not taking me seriously. Emily-”
“Emily Furn? The healer’s nineteen year old daughter?” I quirked a brow, “You think she’s the ‘spy’?”
I laughingly thought back to the small in stature, yet muscular blonde pixie-like female who adores her family and little sister.
Carter frustratingly stomped over to me and gripped my warm cheeks in his large hands, “Listen to me! She was fraternizing with a werewolf. And, if I-I’m assuming correctly, I think they were mates. I think she gave away our location, Mya. I’ve been watching her!”
My eyes had widened as he went off on his spiel, his words finally syncing into my hyperactive brain.
Being diagnosed with ADD by the only local doctor, though her experience was taught by the one that we had at the beginning of the rebellion, I have a hard time listening and comprehending to what people around me are saying.
“We need to tell Devin,” I gasped, my words coming out rushed.
Devin Dawson was the appointed leader of our underground tirade. He is the most organized and creative out of all of us and has yet to let us down.
Aka, get us killed, which is a lot to say considering how dangerous what we have going on is. He’s actually a very friendly guy, in his mid-thirties with a small daughter.
He lost his wife to the wolves and has sworn vengeance ever since. The wolf had claimed her as his mate and taken her away from Devin and their daughter.
We’ve all lost someone. Some, more than others. But, we are all here for our own different reasons.
“I don’t want to be assuming. Because, think about it Mya, it’s a huge accusation that might just get her kicked out, father be damned.”
“But if there’s even a slight chance that our location is given to those monsters-”I spat, “Then, we need to tell Devin.”
He ruffled his dirty blonde hair tiredly and sent me a lopsided grimace, “Yeah, you’re right.”
I couldn’t muster up a reassuring smile because my fear has taken over my senses, so I just grab his hand and pull him out of the gym doors, marching my way through the bustling sandy pathways laced with people.
“Hi Mya, Carter!” Most of them greeted as we whooshed passed them in a flurry of colors. I felt a little guilty at the fact that I didn’t reply to their pleasantries but, I’m on a mission to get to Devin-quickly.
Devin’s shed veers away from the rest of the small, clustered houses; it’s small and cozy, perfect for him and his daughter.
I half-jogged half- fast walked to it, Carter keeping up with me.
Nerves wracked my body at the thought that Emily had given away our location, that our location could be compromised and the things could busy through any second now.
I climbed up the wooden porch steps of Devin’s one-story house and pounded on his door, anxiety marring my face.
Mid-knock, the door swung open and Devin’s annoyed face greeted mine, softening when he saw me.
“Can I help you with something, kids?” He pleasantly asked.
“We have information,” I gasped causing Devin’s face to contort into worry, “Well, come in then.”
Carter and I walked in, hesitantly taking a seat on his plush couch.
In our houses, we don’t have much furniture, only important people in this town have that luxury, like the healers, teachers, and the raiders.
Carter is going to get his own home soon, with his own furniture. He still lives with his sick mother for her benefit but, once he settles down, he’ll move into it.
He’s three years older than my seventeen, and while growing up, he had to practically take care of his mother instead of her take care of him, while I was raised in the Foster Unit.
My Dad, Fenton Collins, was killed three weeks prior to when I was born by a werewolf and my Mother had committed suicide two weeks post.
Carter doesn’t like to talk about his Dad, he just says that he deserved what he had coming to him and that was that.
“What information?” Devin asked, his large arms crossed over his broad chest. He’s a big man, over six foot with crows feet around his eyes and spiked brunette hair. No one would guess that he’s thirty-five, he looks more-so in his mid-twenties.
“Carter, tell him.” I looked over to see my best friend hunched over.
He proceeded to tell Devin the information he told me, adding in details and not leaving anything out. When he was done, Devin sat thoughtfully.
Reading his body language, I can tell that he’s worried and stressed despite the blank expression on his face.
“I will have three men watching her, if what you are saying is correct, we may have no other choice but to-” I blocked out the rest of his words. I knew what happens to the mates of werewolves.
“We have certain protocols in order to avoid dilemmas like this.They are either killed (by their request) or thrown out and we relocate, though it’s never come to that.
“We’ve been taught from a young age to mask our scent and avoid eye contact, the two factors that lead a wolf to know who their mate is.
Two years ago, Farrah Hope, an avid raider in her prime, was out patrolling our entrance because of a reported disturbance.
She had been spotted by the thing and before he could get to her, used her knowledge of the mountainous terrain to establish him.
She had come back without telling anyone what had happen, wrote a note and ended her life.
Her actions set us all in danger- the beast had went on a tyraid, sensing her death and didn’t leave our location for months.
Thankfully, he didn’t trace her scent to us and her body is in our cemetery, we refused to allow him to find it out of respect for her.
Though, I’m sure, even now he is still searching for her, a never-ending rest for him until he finds his mate again.
“Thank you for telling me, and good luck you two on the raid tonight.”
We both nodded solemnly and stood up, unknowingly walking right into our demise.
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2
Carter continuously barked orders at me as I doused myself in the scent-concealer. Though, it would be hard to completely camouflage a scent from a mate, it is possible.
Our two healers had concocted it five years ago and since then, we’ve all been required to wear it by law.
I strapped my holster for my silver-laden gun onto the loop on my pants, then placed my silver-coated knife into the holster of my ankle.
To our knowledge, werewolves have only two weaknesses that can kill them, silver and mates.
Silver poisons their blood stream and knocks them dead within the first twenty seconds they come into contact with it.
That is why it is forbidden in the outside world, it is why we’ve spent years hunting and making it.
Though, none of us have successfully managed to kill an Alpha’s mate, we’ve tried, and got killed on numerous occasions because of it.
Alpha’s are the pack leader; the sole authoritive leader, the bastards are too arrogant to have another pack member with any ounce of authoritive blood, for the Alpha’s would challenge them and the reciprocant would most likely lose.
I tied my hair into a tight bun at the nape of my neck in case one of them attempts to yank my hair, one of my many weaknesses. My scalp has always been very sensitive.
“Mya, are you even listening to me?” Carter yelled, gripping my shoulders and giving them a shake for good measure.
“Of course I am!” I wrenched his hands off of me and slipped on the sheath of arrows over my back, clutching the bow in sweaty palms.
“I don’t think you understand the dangers of this mission,” He patronized, adjusting my gun holster so it won’t fall off, “I love you, Mys. And, I refuse to let you get hurt. So you need to listen to me-”
He cupped my face and peered into my eyes, and I peered back into his dark brown ones, “Stay close to me. Grab all the supplies you can anddo notmake eye contact. Okay?”
My eyes wavered from his, uncomfortable with his eye contact and our close proximity. “I love you too, Carter. I’ll stay close.” I promised, the uncontrollable urge to bounce on my foot unrelenting. I need to move, I need room.
“I don’t think you understand Mya, I love you.” I’m not naïve to the fact that he’s professing his love, but I put up the façade of confusion to get out of this awkward ordeal.
“We’ve been over this.” I tried to grin in humor but it came out as a grimace.
“When this is over, I want to-” he cleared his throat, “I want you to-to-”
“I get it,” I interrupted him, biting my lower lip in shyness, “Yes, I’ll be your-.” His eyes sparkled and he leaned down until our lips connect, interrupting me. His lips are slightly chapped and moderately thin.
Yet, it wasn’t an un-pleasurable experience, it felt familiar, like home. Carter and I had kissed once before, when I was thirteen and him sixteen.
We’d been each other’s first and only kiss to this day and while the kiss four years ago was an accident, this one is anything but.
He didn’t attempt to stick his tongue in my throat like the other girl’s my age described their kisses to be. It was like our lips were molding together in perfect synchronization.
When we drew back for air, he caressed the side of my face with the pad of his thumbs and dropped another kiss on my lips.
“Th-that was-”
“I know.” He smiled, taking a step away from me, “It was supposed to motivate you to stay alive.” My finger smoothed over my lip, his lingering warmth quickly fading.
“Hell of a motivation,” I muttered, adjusting my clothes and smoothing over my hair.
“I hope you know that I plan on asking you to marry me after this,” He called over his shoulder while walking away, jokingly- wait, I hope jokingly.
“Har har, see you on the flip side, Tucker!” I yelled back.
He turned fully from walking backwards after he saluted me, jogging over to the supply trucks.
“Damn, you’ve got him wrapped around your tiny finger.” Emily Finch mused beside me, her eyes holding knowledge beyond her years.
My heart rate sped up; she’s young, the youngest expert raider we have, but it makes sense, she has impeccable moves and can hold off wolves easily.
I inwardly wondered if Carter was right, is she helping her mate and giving away our secrets?
“You going?” I nonchalantly asked, ignoring her comment.
“Of course,” She smiled, flipping her golden hair over her shoulder.
“Wanna ride with me?” She asked, nodded her head towards the smaller supply truck.
I nodded my head and groaned when I realized her and I are the youngest ones participating in this mission.
“Don’t worry, no one judges on age, just skill. And, from what I’ve seen, you’ve got skills, Mya Collins.” She read my mind.
As I was about to retort, warning alarms rung through the intercom and the power shut off, blinking red emergency lights taking its place, I immediately shot to the ground and waited for my eyes to adjust to the sudden darkness.
I spotted Emily looking around, hunching over and slowly walking towards the entrance.
“You gave us away!” I hissed in betrayal, abruptly standing up and making my way over to her, she tripped over a large pebble and fell over, peering up at me with wide, tearful eyes, “Wha- wha he wasn’t supposed to-” she blubbered.
“What the hell have you done!”
“I didn’t think he’d-”
I spit at her as I heard a thundering crack.
“I’m sorry Mya, I had to. He’s my mate.” Her lower lip wobbled as she crawled away from me.
“You disgust me,” I hissed at her and had to control myself to not kick her hunched form, “I hope your betrayal l comes back and bites you in your ass.” I know she could hear me despite the overwhelming noises, her back going rigid at my words.
I hope she mulls over the fact that she betrayed her own family for her precious mate, I hope it becomes something that haunts her dreams.
Chaos suddenly broke out as an explosion blew a hole through the facility’s entrance and hundreds of werewolves barged through, grabbing as many humans as they can get their paws on and dragging them out.
The ordeal is happening in seconds- their actions too quick for me to collect my bearings.
Considering most of us are hiding in our homes and recluse buildings- the sound of shattering glass and screams of terrors were all that could be heard.
My heart stuttered in pure, unadulterated terror. We’ve had lockdowns preparing us for this, but nothing could ever compare to the real deal. Nothing could’ve ever prepared us for this.
Wolves have night vision, which is most likely the reason why they shut off the power, so they can grab us without us being able to put up an actual fight.
I narrowed my eyes as I jogged towards Carter’s large supply truck, only seeing vague silhouettes in the darkness.
I dodged a wolf claw that reached out to grab me, maneuvering myself to where I can reach down and grab my long knife from my boot and then plunge it in his out-stretched arm.
“You little bitch,” The beast growled and yanked the knife out of his arm, throwing it on the ground with a flutter. I blinked rapidly and yelped as his claw skimmed my outstretched arm, raised grooves appearing on my skin.
My eyebrows furrowed, he should’ve died by now from the silver. He should be frothing at the mouth and his skin should be peeling back from the muscle.
Something isn’t right.
I grabbed my gun and landed three shots to what I think is his chest, which didn’t faze him as I can see he is stalking over to me without a limp. This can’t be… are they immune?
“If only I could hurt you, if only I could rip that pretty head of hair clean from your scalp,” He snarled and wrenched the gun out of my hands, hauling me over his shoulder in one fluid motion.
I masked my panic and went slack, trying to slow him down with my dead weight.
It didn’t seem to faze him because he continued with ease towards the entrance, so I did what my instinct told me to do and threw my leg back and kicked him in his stomach with the tip of my combat boot.
He let out a low groan of pain and hunched over, letting me slide off of him like a slide.
I quickly hauled ass away from him, spotting a glint of silver on the ground and grabbing it, excited that I found a small pocket knife out of pure luck.
I quickly pocketed the knife, and grabbed my bow strung over my shoulder, knocking the arrow. At this point, my objective was to injure as many as possible, to give someone the chance to escape.
I spotted a meaty looking werewolf lurching for a 13 year old child, and without hesitation, shot his hunched figure. He let out a howl of pain as the silver-tip arrow pierced the flesh of his neck.
Yet, he didn’t die, and I decided to leave before he decides to kill me in retaliation. I aimlessly searched for Carter, my breath leaving in quick pants of fear.
Chaos surrounded me as from what I can see, elders are escorted through the blown hole of our reserve, the fight had left them long ago from their withered age.
The few raiders left shot their guns and plunged their knives into wolves who refused to fight back, simply, dragging them out.
And my heart dropped when I realized most females are gone, the last bit being taken off by wolves.
“Mya, look out!” Carter’s voice brought me out of my observation and I blinked rapidly, spotting an oncoming wolf who grabbed my wrist in a vice-like grip and clutched me by my waist, beginning to dragme to the exit.
Except, this time, I don’t have my hands to hurt him and my feet are immobile because they’re dragging against the ground and I couldn’t save my footing.
Suddenly, Carter appeared in my line of vision and landed an unexpected punch onto the stoic wolves face, a bellow escaped his pert mouth and his grip loosened on me.
I hoisted myself over him with my legs and kicked underneath his chin, causing his jaw to make a snapping sound, successfully rendering him immobile as he collapsed to the dirt-covered ground.
Carter latched onto my wrist and dragged me away, “Are you hurt?” He asked around the loud noise of screams and growls.
“No, they haven’t reciprocated to anything.”
“I know,” his grip tightened around my arm, “It’s in case there is a chance you have a mate.”
He veered us out of the village and towards Devin’s house, “I’m scared, Carter.” I said with a shaky voice, trying to keep up with his sprinting, but physically, too exhausted.
“Just a couple more seconds, Mys. Stay with me.” I pushed myself to keep up with him and sagged in relief when we reached the familiar house. Though, it was hard to make out with no light, Devin’s house was unmistakable.
“Hey, you two! Stop!” Thundering footsteps pounded behind us and we pushed ourselves harder, the wood door just in hands reach.
Just then, the back of my shirt was snagged by a hand and I was lurched back into someone’s chest, their tree trunk arms anchoring over my shoulder and the other arm clutching my waist.
I vaguely heard Carter grunting and unsuccessfully tried to wiggle my way out of the wolves clutch and shrilly screamed, “Carter!”
“I’ll come for you, Mya! I promise!”
And as the wolf ripped me away from my home, I realized that Carter’s promise is all I have left.
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